Bai Lixin looked at the meat in his hands and suddenly had a bad feeling.
He discreetly held the thin maid’s hand. “It’s getting late. We should go back.”
Without caring whether the thin maid had seen enough, he turned around and led her away.
The thin maid was still chattering incessantly, “Immortal Lady, why are we leaving? I just saw a cultivator with a big bowl of meat, and he was coming this way. It’s a whole bowl of meat! How great would it be for us to have that meat?”
“Madam, please stay!” The thin maid’s words had just fallen, and a voice came from behind them.
Bai Lixin pretended not to hear it and continued walking.
The thin maid persisted, “Immortal Lady, isn’t that person calling you?”
Bai Lixin: “Calling me for what? I’m new here and don’t know anyone.”
Thin maid: “True.”
The two had reached the middle of the bridge, and their conversation hadn’t completely dissipated in the air when a figure suddenly blocked their way.
Before they could clearly see the person, the thin maid caught a whiff of a rich meat fragrance.
She looked up and found it was the cultivator who had carried the meat earlier.
The thin maid stared at the cultivator in front of her and then at the large bowl of meat in his hands. Her eyes sparkled.
‘Divine meat, it’s divine meat!’
“Madam,” the cultivator raised the bowl in front of Bai Lixin, “Elder said it’s a gift for you. This is a snake demon we captured in the forest yesterday. It has cultivated for a thousand years, and we’ve extracted the snake gall. Although eating its meat won’t grant immortality, it can prolong your life and enhance your health. Please drink while it’s hot.”
Bai Lixin tried to suppress the discomfort in his stomach and carefully took the large bowl. “I understand. Thanks to Elder Qingcheng for his kindness.”
The cultivator stared at Bai Lixin with burning eyes. “Madam, take a sip and see if it suits your taste.”
Bai Lixin stared at the rich soup steaming in his hands, his lips tightly pursed.
He glanced at the river beneath, silently contemplating the best way to spill the soup into the water later.
After Elder Qingcheng’s series of actions, he had immediately realized that he was the target. Hence, he hurriedly crossed the bridge.
He couldn’t refuse the kindness, but he couldn’t be blamed for accidentally spilling the bowl, could he?
What about inventing a story about suddenly seeing the female ghost in a red dress with a white umbrella, getting frightened, and accidentally tipping the bowl? In any case, Elder Qingcheng was already aware of this incident, so it was quite believable.
Just as Bai Lixin was ready to act, someone suddenly bumped into him from behind.
His body instinctively tilted forward, and he threw the bowl into the river.
“Plop!” A huge splash was created as the bowl and the chunks of meat disappeared into the water.
“Oh my!” “Madam” exclaimed in shock and anger, turning to look behind her. There stood a man who was swaying unsteadily, reeking of alcohol. He held a gourd in his hand.
“Can’t you look when you’re walking?” “Madam” widened her eyes. “Look at what you’ve done! My bowl of divine meat is all gone because of you.”
‘Well done, brother!
You are my savior. I’ll buy you another jug of wine later!’
While speaking, he glanced at the entrance of Tongfu Inn. By now, all the meat at the entrance had been distributed, and the attendant had taken the pot inside.
Bai Lixin then turned to the young cultivator. “Immortal, what should we do now? I didn’t even get a single bite of the meat. Is there more?”
“Wuuuu!” Bai Lixin felt the atmosphere wasn’t quite enough, so he wanted to add more drama. But before he could make a move, the thin maid suddenly burst into tears, wailing loudly and pounding on the drunkard. “You heartless person! I was waiting for Madam to finish eating so I could have some leftovers, but now there’s nothing left! You owe me my meat scraps and soup, wuuu.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
‘Alright, the emotional depth is now sufficient.’
The cultivator felt helpless. “Madam, today’s divine meat is already over.”
Bai Lixin rubbed his eyes.
Of course, he knew the divine meat was gone. Does he really need to be told that?
It’s gone, and that’s great.
He was genuinely afraid that someone would suddenly present another bowl and say the classic line, “There’s plenty, help yourself.”
That would be truly frightening.
“Sigh,” Bai Lixin sighed softly. “It seems I’m not fated to have this divine meat. Immortal, I was being unreasonable. We’ll leave now. Thanks again for your hospitality, Immortal, and Elder Qingcheng.”
The swaying drunkard was about to leave. The thin maid still wanted to confront him but the drunkard impatiently swung his sleeve away.
When the drunkard shook his sleeve, a faint lotus fragrance wafted into Bai Lixin’s nose.
Bai Lixin paused and his gaze towards the drunkard changed slightly.
After the drunkard moved further away, the cultivator continued speaking, “Madam, don’t be too upset. Our sect has plenty of divine meat. We distribute it here every afternoon. If you want to eat, feel free to come; I’ll serve you then.”
Bai Lixin looked at the cultivator gratefully. “Thank you, Immortal. You and the other immortals are truly kind-hearted. But if you’ve given all the divine meat to us, what will you all eat?”
The man smiled. “We cultivators don’t need food. Keeping this divine meats with us would be a waste. It’s better to share the joy. It’s also considered our fate with all of you, so we distribute them to the town’s people.”
Bai Lixin showered another round of rainbow farts before pulling the thin maid away.
He walked quickly, leading the thin maid into a small alley after getting off the bridge.
Seeing this, the thin maid immediately spoke up, “Isn’t this the way the drunkard went? Immortal Lady, you’re also upset. Come on, let’s seek revenge together! I must teach that blind drunkard a lesson!”
Bai Lixin: “.. ”
‘I dare you to touch him. That’s my old gong, no one is allowed to hit him!’
The alley was a dead end, and they reached the end in no time.
It was empty inside, and there was no drunkard in sight.
Scratching her head, the thin maid wondered, “What’s going on? He didn’t come out after going in just now. Could this drunkard also be skilled in climbing walls?”
She glanced at the three-meter-high wall, “But this wall is so high. Could this drunkard be a martial arts expert?”
Bai Lixin’s gaze swept around the ground and found a small lotus petal at his feet.
Understanding dawned on him. He pulled the maid towards the exit. “This is too creepy. Let’s go, I feel like we’ve encountered a ghost again.”
As soon as she heard “ghost,” the thin maid lost her vigor for cursing and quickly pulled Bai Lixin out of the alley.
When they arrived at the Lin family’s residence, the thin maid was still sighing, “What a pity for that good bowl of meat. If I had been quicker, I could have caught it for you. Then you wouldn’t have missed out entirely, Immortal Lady.”
Bai Lixin looked at the thin maid’s regretful expression. “Not being able to eat it might not be a bad thing.”
The thin maid asked with a depressed expression, “What do you mean?”
“Let me ask you, if someone took out your heart and then butchered you into delicacies to be eaten by others, could you endure it?”
“I definitely couldn’t. If someone dared to do that to me, I would turn into a vengeful spirit and kill them to relieve my grievances.”
“All things have spirits. If you can’t accept that, let alone taking the flesh of monsters that have cultivated for hundreds or even thousands of years. If you eat their meat, they might come seeking revenge one day.”
The thin maid panicked and covered her mouth. “But so many people have eaten it, and they’re all fine.”
Bai Lixin: “Just because nothing happened today doesn’t mean it won’t tomorrow. Perhaps something will go wrong someday. If you can live well without eating that divine meat, why bother?”
Hearing Bai Lixin’s words, the thin maid seemed to realize something. Her voice became lower, more mysterious. “Could it be that those bodies changed because they ate the divine meat?”
Bai Lixin looked at the thin maid. “Let me ask you, when did these strange incidents with the bodies start happening?”
Thin maid: “About two months ago.”
Bai Lixin: “And when did the people from Qingcheng Sect start coming down the mountain?”
Thin maid: “Less than a month.”
Bai Lixin: “Then it might not be because of the meat soup. The abnormal bodies started before Qingcheng Sect came down the mountain. There might be another source for this situation.”
The thin maid felt a bit scared. “Another source?”
Bai Lixin: “I don’t know yet.”
‘But I will find out someday.’
They exchanged words and soon arrived at the Lin family’s doorstep.
The sun was setting behind the mountains, painting the clouds near the mountains a beautiful fiery red.
When Bai Lixin entered, he happened to overhear a conversation between County Magistrate Lin and Yi Niang Qian in the backyard.
Yi Niang Qian: “Master, don’t wait any longer. Madam said she was going to her cousin’s house. Maybe she’s caught up talking with her cousin, and they stayed for dinner.”
“Madam said they grew up together, childhood friends. Such a close relationship between a man and a woman is bound to be different.”
“It’s outrageous,” County Magistrate Lin’s voice sounded displeased. “Men and women should keep their distance, even if they’re cousins. Look at the time; it was just a simple question. Does it take this long?”
“Oh, my, Master, how can you not understand? The question is a pretense, the real reason is missing each other.”
The thin maid was instantly furious. This little demon seemed to be everywhere, previously plotting to harm people and now falsely accusing the Immortal Lady of having an affair.
‘Why was she so venomous?!
Bah, despicable person!’
“Ahem, ahem.” Bai Lixin coughed lightly and leaned against the thin maid.
The thin maid looked at the Immortal Lady, whose face had turned pale in an instant and truly wanted to give her a round of applause.
Look, open your dog eyes and see what a real expert in palace intrigue is.
The next moment, the thin maid exclaimed, “Madam, hold on, we’ve arrived home!”
The conversation in the backyard abruptly stopped, followed by hurried footsteps.
County Magistrate Lin walked in front, with Yi Niang Qian and Xiaodie following closely behind.
Upon seeing the “madam” swaying unsteadily, County Magistrate Lin hurriedly approached, flustered. “What happened to her?”
The thin maid sneered, “Master, Madam fainted yesterday due to anxiety. The doctor advised her to rest in bed, but Madam insisted on accompanying you. She went to see the old madam, then personally cooked and delivered food to you. After that, she worried there might be no one reliable for you in the yamen and hurriedly went to seek the young master.”
“After all this effort, no wonder she collapsed!”
“But who would have expected that our madam’s heartfelt efforts would be met with suspicion from others? Oh Heavens, I find it so unjust for her.”
County Magistrate Lin and Yi Niang Qian turned red, especially the magistrate, who looked so ashamed he wished he could bury himself in the ground.
“Momo, you’re not allowed to speak ill of Master,” The pale-faced “Madam” covered her mouth and coughed. “Master was just concerned for me. I know.”
As she spoke, “she” weakly extended her hand, taking a parcel wrapped in paper from the thin maid and handing it to County Magistrate Lin. “Master, I noticed you enjoyed pastries at lunchtime. I passed by a pastry shop on my way back and heard their products are delicious, so I bought some for you. I’m sorry for being late.”
“Also, I’ve already talked to my cousin. He agreed to come to the yamen to help. If you have time, he can come tomorrow morning.”
“Ahem, ahem, ahem.”
County Magistrate Lin looked like a lost soul. He accepted the pastries and gazed at the weak woman in front of him, recalling her appearance when he first saw her.
Back then, she was shy and tender, her eyes filled with affection, and her cheeks blushing with shyness.
Lively and charming.
But look at the woman in front of him now. She was still beautiful, her smile gentle as ever, but the initial radiance was gone from her eyes, replaced by disappointment in him.
Yes, she cooked for him, brought him food, and worked hard for him even when she was sick. And what about him? He had actually slandered her with his concubine.
He really wasn’t a good person!
In that moment, County Magistrate Lin felt a stifling sensation in his chest, as if something was lodged there.
“Thank you, Madam,” he swallowed dryly, “let me explain. I was waiting for you to have the meal. I’m a bit impatient, and I speak without thinking. Please don’t be offended.”
The “madam” forced a bitter smile, “Master, I won’t blame you. But please go ahead and have your dinner. I’m feeling unwell and really can’t eat. I’ll go back to my room and rest first. I take my leave.”
As he watched the “woman’s” frail figure walking away, County Magistrate Lin felt an inexplicable dull pain in his chest, as if a piece of his chest had been dug out.
Bai Lixin looked at the meat in his hands and suddenly had a bad feeling.
He discreetly held the thin maid’s hand. “It’s getting late. We should go back.”
Without caring whether the thin maid had seen enough, he turned around and led her away.
The thin maid was still chattering incessantly, “Immortal Lady, why are we leaving? I just saw a cultivator with a big bowl of meat, and he was coming this way. It’s a whole bowl of meat! How great would it be for us to have that meat?”
“Madam, please stay!” The thin maid’s words had just fallen, and a voice came from behind them.
Bai Lixin pretended not to hear it and continued walking.
The thin maid persisted, “Immortal Lady, isn’t that person calling you?”
Bai Lixin: “Calling me for what? I’m new here and don’t know anyone.”
Thin maid: “True.”
The two had reached the middle of the bridge, and their conversation hadn’t completely dissipated in the air when a figure suddenly blocked their way.
Before they could clearly see the person, the thin maid caught a whiff of a rich meat fragrance.
She looked up and found it was the cultivator who had carried the meat earlier.
The thin maid stared at the cultivator in front of her and then at the large bowl of meat in his hands. Her eyes sparkled.
‘Divine meat, it’s divine meat!’
“Madam,” the cultivator raised the bowl in front of Bai Lixin, “Elder said it’s a gift for you. This is a snake demon we captured in the forest yesterday. It has cultivated for a thousand years, and we’ve extracted the snake gall. Although eating its meat won’t grant immortality, it can prolong your life and enhance your health. Please drink while it’s hot.”
Bai Lixin tried to suppress the discomfort in his stomach and carefully took the large bowl. “I understand. Thanks to Elder Qingcheng for his kindness.”
The cultivator stared at Bai Lixin with burning eyes. “Madam, take a sip and see if it suits your taste.”
Bai Lixin stared at the rich soup steaming in his hands, his lips tightly pursed.
He glanced at the river beneath, silently contemplating the best way to spill the soup into the water later.
After Elder Qingcheng’s series of actions, he had immediately realized that he was the target. Hence, he hurriedly crossed the bridge.
He couldn’t refuse the kindness, but he couldn’t be blamed for accidentally spilling the bowl, could he?
What about inventing a story about suddenly seeing the female ghost in a red dress with a white umbrella, getting frightened, and accidentally tipping the bowl? In any case, Elder Qingcheng was already aware of this incident, so it was quite believable.
Just as Bai Lixin was ready to act, someone suddenly bumped into him from behind.
His body instinctively tilted forward, and he threw the bowl into the river.
“Plop!” A huge splash was created as the bowl and the chunks of meat disappeared into the water.
“Oh my!” “Madam” exclaimed in shock and anger, turning to look behind her. There stood a man who was swaying unsteadily, reeking of alcohol. He held a gourd in his hand.
“Can’t you look when you’re walking?” “Madam” widened her eyes. “Look at what you’ve done! My bowl of divine meat is all gone because of you.”
‘Well done, brother!
You are my savior. I’ll buy you another jug of wine later!’
While speaking, he glanced at the entrance of Tongfu Inn. By now, all the meat at the entrance had been distributed, and the attendant had taken the pot inside.
Bai Lixin then turned to the young cultivator. “Immortal, what should we do now? I didn’t even get a single bite of the meat. Is there more?”
“Wuuuu!” Bai Lixin felt the atmosphere wasn’t quite enough, so he wanted to add more drama. But before he could make a move, the thin maid suddenly burst into tears, wailing loudly and pounding on the drunkard. “You heartless person! I was waiting for Madam to finish eating so I could have some leftovers, but now there’s nothing left! You owe me my meat scraps and soup, wuuu.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
‘Alright, the emotional depth is now sufficient.’
The cultivator felt helpless. “Madam, today’s divine meat is already over.”
Bai Lixin rubbed his eyes.
Of course, he knew the divine meat was gone. Does he really need to be told that?
It’s gone, and that’s great.
He was genuinely afraid that someone would suddenly present another bowl and say the classic line, “There’s plenty, help yourself.”
That would be truly frightening.
“Sigh,” Bai Lixin sighed softly. “It seems I’m not fated to have this divine meat. Immortal, I was being unreasonable. We’ll leave now. Thanks again for your hospitality, Immortal, and Elder Qingcheng.”
The swaying drunkard was about to leave. The thin maid still wanted to confront him but the drunkard impatiently swung his sleeve away.
When the drunkard shook his sleeve, a faint lotus fragrance wafted into Bai Lixin’s nose.
Bai Lixin paused and his gaze towards the drunkard changed slightly.
After the drunkard moved further away, the cultivator continued speaking, “Madam, don’t be too upset. Our sect has plenty of divine meat. We distribute it here every afternoon. If you want to eat, feel free to come; I’ll serve you then.”
Bai Lixin looked at the cultivator gratefully. “Thank you, Immortal. You and the other immortals are truly kind-hearted. But if you’ve given all the divine meat to us, what will you all eat?”
The man smiled. “We cultivators don’t need food. Keeping this divine meats with us would be a waste. It’s better to share the joy. It’s also considered our fate with all of you, so we distribute them to the town’s people.”
Bai Lixin showered another round of rainbow farts before pulling the thin maid away.
He walked quickly, leading the thin maid into a small alley after getting off the bridge.
Seeing this, the thin maid immediately spoke up, “Isn’t this the way the drunkard went? Immortal Lady, you’re also upset. Come on, let’s seek revenge together! I must teach that blind drunkard a lesson!”
Bai Lixin: “.. ”
‘I dare you to touch him. That’s my old gong, no one is allowed to hit him!’
The alley was a dead end, and they reached the end in no time.
It was empty inside, and there was no drunkard in sight.
Scratching her head, the thin maid wondered, “What’s going on? He didn’t come out after going in just now. Could this drunkard also be skilled in climbing walls?”
She glanced at the three-meter-high wall, “But this wall is so high. Could this drunkard be a martial arts expert?”
Bai Lixin’s gaze swept around the ground and found a small lotus petal at his feet.
Understanding dawned on him. He pulled the maid towards the exit. “This is too creepy. Let’s go, I feel like we’ve encountered a ghost again.”
As soon as she heard “ghost,” the thin maid lost her vigor for cursing and quickly pulled Bai Lixin out of the alley.
When they arrived at the Lin family’s residence, the thin maid was still sighing, “What a pity for that good bowl of meat. If I had been quicker, I could have caught it for you. Then you wouldn’t have missed out entirely, Immortal Lady.”
Bai Lixin looked at the thin maid’s regretful expression. “Not being able to eat it might not be a bad thing.”
The thin maid asked with a depressed expression, “What do you mean?”
“Let me ask you, if someone took out your heart and then butchered you into delicacies to be eaten by others, could you endure it?”
“I definitely couldn’t. If someone dared to do that to me, I would turn into a vengeful spirit and kill them to relieve my grievances.”
“All things have spirits. If you can’t accept that, let alone taking the flesh of monsters that have cultivated for hundreds or even thousands of years. If you eat their meat, they might come seeking revenge one day.”
The thin maid panicked and covered her mouth. “But so many people have eaten it, and they’re all fine.”
Bai Lixin: “Just because nothing happened today doesn’t mean it won’t tomorrow. Perhaps something will go wrong someday. If you can live well without eating that divine meat, why bother?”
Hearing Bai Lixin’s words, the thin maid seemed to realize something. Her voice became lower, more mysterious. “Could it be that those bodies changed because they ate the divine meat?”
Bai Lixin looked at the thin maid. “Let me ask you, when did these strange incidents with the bodies start happening?”
Thin maid: “About two months ago.”
Bai Lixin: “And when did the people from Qingcheng Sect start coming down the mountain?”
Thin maid: “Less than a month.”
Bai Lixin: “Then it might not be because of the meat soup. The abnormal bodies started before Qingcheng Sect came down the mountain. There might be another source for this situation.”
The thin maid felt a bit scared. “Another source?”
Bai Lixin: “I don’t know yet.”
‘But I will find out someday.’
They exchanged words and soon arrived at the Lin family’s doorstep.
The sun was setting behind the mountains, painting the clouds near the mountains a beautiful fiery red.
When Bai Lixin entered, he happened to overhear a conversation between County Magistrate Lin and Yi Niang Qian in the backyard.
Yi Niang Qian: “Master, don’t wait any longer. Madam said she was going to her cousin’s house. Maybe she’s caught up talking with her cousin, and they stayed for dinner.”
“Madam said they grew up together, childhood friends. Such a close relationship between a man and a woman is bound to be different.”
“It’s outrageous,” County Magistrate Lin’s voice sounded displeased. “Men and women should keep their distance, even if they’re cousins. Look at the time; it was just a simple question. Does it take this long?”
“Oh, my, Master, how can you not understand? The question is a pretense, the real reason is missing each other.”
The thin maid was instantly furious. This little demon seemed to be everywhere, previously plotting to harm people and now falsely accusing the Immortal Lady of having an affair.
‘Why was she so venomous?!
Bah, despicable person!’
“Ahem, ahem.” Bai Lixin coughed lightly and leaned against the thin maid.
The thin maid looked at the Immortal Lady, whose face had turned pale in an instant and truly wanted to give her a round of applause.
Look, open your dog eyes and see what a real expert in palace intrigue is.
The next moment, the thin maid exclaimed, “Madam, hold on, we’ve arrived home!”
The conversation in the backyard abruptly stopped, followed by hurried footsteps.
County Magistrate Lin walked in front, with Yi Niang Qian and Xiaodie following closely behind.
Upon seeing the “madam” swaying unsteadily, County Magistrate Lin hurriedly approached, flustered. “What happened to her?”
The thin maid sneered, “Master, Madam fainted yesterday due to anxiety. The doctor advised her to rest in bed, but Madam insisted on accompanying you. She went to see the old madam, then personally cooked and delivered food to you. After that, she worried there might be no one reliable for you in the yamen and hurriedly went to seek the young master.”
“After all this effort, no wonder she collapsed!”
“But who would have expected that our madam’s heartfelt efforts would be met with suspicion from others? Oh Heavens, I find it so unjust for her.”
County Magistrate Lin and Yi Niang Qian turned red, especially the magistrate, who looked so ashamed he wished he could bury himself in the ground.
“Momo, you’re not allowed to speak ill of Master,” The pale-faced “Madam” covered her mouth and coughed. “Master was just concerned for me. I know.”
As she spoke, “she” weakly extended her hand, taking a parcel wrapped in paper from the thin maid and handing it to County Magistrate Lin. “Master, I noticed you enjoyed pastries at lunchtime. I passed by a pastry shop on my way back and heard their products are delicious, so I bought some for you. I’m sorry for being late.”
“Also, I’ve already talked to my cousin. He agreed to come to the yamen to help. If you have time, he can come tomorrow morning.”
“Ahem, ahem, ahem.”
County Magistrate Lin looked like a lost soul. He accepted the pastries and gazed at the weak woman in front of him, recalling her appearance when he first saw her.
Back then, she was shy and tender, her eyes filled with affection, and her cheeks blushing with shyness.
Lively and charming.
But look at the woman in front of him now. She was still beautiful, her smile gentle as ever, but the initial radiance was gone from her eyes, replaced by disappointment in him.
Yes, she cooked for him, brought him food, and worked hard for him even when she was sick. And what about him? He had actually slandered her with his concubine.
He really wasn’t a good person!
In that moment, County Magistrate Lin felt a stifling sensation in his chest, as if something was lodged there.
“Thank you, Madam,” he swallowed dryly, “let me explain. I was waiting for you to have the meal. I’m a bit impatient, and I speak without thinking. Please don’t be offended.”
The “madam” forced a bitter smile, “Master, I won’t blame you. But please go ahead and have your dinner. I’m feeling unwell and really can’t eat. I’ll go back to my room and rest first. I take my leave.”
As he watched the “woman’s” frail figure walking away, County Magistrate Lin felt an inexplicable dull pain in his chest, as if a piece of his chest had been dug out.
